The communication campaign of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine “Taxes Protect” won two gold awards at prestigious advertising festivals – the Swiss Golden Award of Montreux in the Public Services category and the Kyiv International Advertising Festival (KIAF) in the Politics & Government category, which was held this year as part of Ukrainian Creative Stories. The juries of both festivals consisted of world-renowned advertising and marketing experts from many countries.
The campaign began with research and the discovery that almost a third of Ukrainians hesitated when asked whether they could justify not paying taxes. Not because they don’t consider it an obligation, but because the connection between paid taxes and real protection seems abstract. The campaign made it visible and understandable. Three videos showed that the artillery shell on the frontline, the tools of a military surgeon, the equipment of rescuers who were the first to arrive at the scene of the shelling, were provided by those who paid taxes. Paid taxes are returned as weapons and saved lives.
It was for this idea that the campaign received gold at Montreux, one of the oldest creative festivals in Europe, the jury of which consisted of representatives of 17 countries. The festival is known for its strict evaluation system: in some categories, gold awards are not awarded at all if the works do not meet the established standards.
At the Kyiv KIAF festival, the campaign won in the Politics & Government category, receiving a gold award.
During the campaign, the creatives were seen by over 10 million Ukrainians across the country – on social media, on television, on big screens, in the subway, on trains, at gas stations, and in other public spaces. The educational part was viewed by over 4 million unique users on social media, another 2.8 million on television, and the creative videos reached 95% of the target audience. A study conducted after the campaign concluded showed that those who viewed it had a greater understanding of what taxes paid are used for and what role they play in the defense of the state.
The communication campaign “Taxes Protect” was implemented by the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine in partnership with the State Tax Service from November 2025 to May 2026. Alinea International and the creative agency Havas DGTL were involved in the development and implementation. The campaign was funded by the UK Government through the Department for Foreign and International Development. Dozens of companies, TV channels and government agencies joined in the dissemination of the information project. (Finance Ministry)